Images © KP Projects CIC 2024

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Images © KP Projects CIC 2024

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As part of the project in Newhaven & Brighton, we ran Bicycle Ballet Taster workshops for women, to explore new relationships & ways of using their bikes; develop new skills & confidence on their bikes. The workshop also served as an introduction to potentially participating in the Blazing Saddles performances at the end of the project.

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Three taster workshops took place in Newhaven in the run up to performances, to give potential participants the opportunity to have a go at the kinds of moves & techniques used in the Blazing Saddles & Bicycle Ballet shows & learn about the heritage of women cycling.

The workshops were funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, BN9 Arts Growth Fund, through Creative Newhaven & Newhaven’s Creative Enterprise Zone; & supported by Newhaven Active Travel.

16 September 2023, The Sidings with choreographer Janine Fletcher

18 June 2024 @ The Sidings led by Janine Fletcher

26 June 2024 with Haven Young Creatives at The Hillcrest Centre

Images © KP Projects CIC 2024

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Four taster workshops took place in Brighton in the run up to performances, to give potential participants the opportunity to have a go at the kinds of moves & techniques used in the Blazing Saddles & Bicycle Ballet shows & learn about the heritage of women cycling. The workshops were funded by the UK government & Brighton & Hove City Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

22 June 2024 in Preston Park, with choreographer Janine Fletcher & the BMWs -Brighton Multicultural Women’s Cycling Club

6 July, Richmond Place – advanced moves – as part of Our City Dances

14 August, Preston Park, with Choreographer Virginia Farman

30 August – Final session with Third Space Theatre summer school students, led by Janine Fletcher

Photos © KP Projects CIC 2024

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Sunday 10 September saw Blazing Saddles perform on Bexhill seafront, next to the newly refurbished, Coronation Bandstand. Performances were introduced by the Mayor of Bexhill, Cllr Lynn Brailsford, Ian Hollidge of Bexhill Wheelers, & KP Projects Director.

Amazing images were taken by several photographers, with big spreads in the Bexhill/Battle Observer; the Hastings/Rye Observer, on the front page, page 3 and page 24 & the Sussex Express click HERE

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A blistering September day in Worthing, one of the hottest of 2023, saw Blazing Saddles perform on the promenade in front of Worthing Pavilion, as part of Spin Out Festival. The heat took its toll on audience numbers but, you can see from the images, it was watched by a diverse audience, of approximately 100 people watching each show.

Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023

Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023

SBS ran a stall giving out hundreds of flyers, information about the project & how to get involved.  And, Stitch It Don’t Ditch It set up a table & demonstrated making a pair of bloomers from men’s old shirts.

We were delighted to see some of The BMWs (Brighton Multi-Cultural Women’s Cycling Club) in the audience, along with a group from Breeze women’s cycling network who had ridden over from Worthing.

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The Bicycle Ballet Co’s Blazing Saddles show was performed in our four partner locations as part of Sussex Blazing Saddles, with Taster Workshops in Newhaven & Brighton.

Click on the images for more:

Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024

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click on the images to read the newsletters

Autumn 2024 – the final SBS newsletter with details of the online exhibition, an SBS film & thanks to everyone

Late summer 2024 – September events, SBS pop up exhibitions; talks; Tasters, Re-Imagining & Re-Making workshops

Summer 24 – Costume archive training, Re-Imagining, Re-Making workshops, updates, events & favourite discoveries from the archives.

Spring 24 – FREE activites, events & additional funding; archive visits & update – the bloomer backlash, Sussex Suffragists & the Great Pilgrimage

Winter 23 – Early ladies cycling clubs, indispensible hair pins, Blazing Saddles performances in Worthing & Bexhill & a Taster workshop in Newhaven for Heritage Open Days; & how to get involved

Summer 2023 – forthcoming events & workshops for Heritage Open Days; 1890s fashion inventions, innovations & national sensations & opportunities to get involved

Our First Newsletter, June 2023 – introducing the SBS logo & project; archive research discoveries – the first Brighton ladies cycling club & Skirts vs Knickerbockers – project news & events

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KP Projects’ Creative Director, Karen Poley, delivered a series of talks about the Sussex Blazing Saddles project in partner locations across Sussex:

Bexhill Museum Talk, 16 June 2pm, TN29 3HL
Better Bike Social Talk, 10 June, 7pm, Brighton
Newhaven Historical Society Talk, 3 September 7.30pm, Hillcrest Centre, BN9 9LH
Jubilee Library Talk, 14 September 11am, Brighton, BN1 1GE

In addition:
– Over 30 short talks were given to introduce the project, & explain the importance of the heritage of women & cycling, at all the workshops, events & activities across the project, &
– 4 Radio interviews &
– 2 online video interviews

Scroll down to watch & hear some of these below:

Talks

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TRANSCRIPT –

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Interview with Melita Dennett, Radio Reverb 6.8.24, starting at 05.04 on the heritage of women cycling, pop up exhibition, workshops & performances in Brighton

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Interview on Radio Reverb with Melita Dennett, 22.8.23, starting at 13.21

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Interview on Seahaven FM 4.8.23 Introducing SBS, Newhaven element & Grace Chrismas

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Starting at 09.50, interview with Melita Dennett, Radio Reverb 22.11.22, introducing SBS project

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All the info for various elements of the project are here – https://linktr.ee/sussexblazingsaddles  & the project website is www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk 

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